Improvement in apparatus for producing heat and light from gases



R. DHURGOURTGDOU'ARD ARMAND). APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING HEAT AND LIGHTFROM GASES.

Patented Feb; 23, 1869.

place.

game i (Bil ROBERT DHURCOURT, (E'DOUAHD A.RMAND,) OF PARIS, FRANCE.

Letters Patent No. 87,130, dated-February 23, 1869.-

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR PR O DUGING' HEAT AND LIGHT FROM GASES.

Iha ScbBdule-ufmd to in these Letters Patent and. making part of thesame.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that LROBERT irHuncovnrxEnouknu ARMAND,) of Paris, in theEmpire of France, have invented a new Means for Improving CombustibleGases I and Vapors, by mixing them with air or other burning-gases orvapors in a peculiar manner, for the purpose of obtaining a large amountof light therefrom;

and I do hereby declare that the following isa full,

by raising to the red-white beat any unfusible body,

a platina corbeil, for instance, or for obtaining heats o'nheating-apparatus.

This mixture may be made either on the issuing of the gas from thegas-works. or at any other convenient Instead of a mixture ofordina-rylighting-gas, a mixture can be'formed for the same purpose ofany com-1 bustiblegas and vapors with other burning-gases, such asoxygen pure, deutoxide and-protoxide of azote, 860. Light has beenalready produced by a mixture of 'lighting-gas and oxygen or atmosphericgas, made in the apparatus, provided with a burner like to that ofDrummonts lamp.

The gas thus provided is especially adapted to burn-. ing with a platinacorbeil burner, known 'by the name of Gillard burner, in use for burninghydrogen pure, and,-in the present case, used'with the mixture which Ihave mentioned, producing, at the same time, the

maximum amount of heat and light, and incompara bly more thanlighting-gas would produce if mixed with it, and burned in commonburners, thereby admitting the use of inferior gases as a base, as anycombustible gases will yield an excellent result of light or heat.

The proportion which has proved most convenient for mixture with'ordinar T coalas is one of as for,

two of air, but I' do not wish to limit myself to the said proportion.

As the most perfect apparatus may accidentally, or in consequence ofmismanagement, happen to work badly, thereby endangering the generationof a detonating-Inixture, in such cases the proportion may be reduced toone of gas forseven or eight of atmospheric air.

Figure 1 represents a sectional elevation of one form of apparatus whichmay be used for forcing the gas;

Figure 2 represents a longitudinal and vertical section of the apparatuswhiehl prefer to use;

Figure 3, a horizontal section of the same;

Figure 4, a partial end and sectional view;

Figure 5, a plan view; and

Figures 6 and 7, sectional and plan views of an apparatus for governingthe pressure of the gas being fed into the mixing-apparatus.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

"I propose to employ two counters, or meters, one of which has doublethe capacity of the other, both being in connection with each other bythe junction of their axes, so that the one cannot operate independentlyfrom the other.

I havethe gas conveyed, under pressure, into the little counter only.-

The drum in this counter will be set in motion by the pressure of thegas, and carry along with it the drum of the larger counter, the joiningon the induction-tube of which is free, which permits'of theintroduction of the atmospheric air into it. At each revolution, thesmall counter will deliver its volume of lighting+gas, and the large onea double volume of atmospheric air.

The gas and air, on issuing each respectively from the counters, will.ugh aco luinbe for ed into a chamber common to both, where they becomemixed, and thence the mixt ure willenter the tubes connecting with theburners.

In consequence of this arrangement, the small counter acts like a motor,and the large one like a blowing-en- 'gine.

Thus, at each revolution, the little counter will deliver a volume ofgas equal to its capacity, and, should any defect or leakage occur, itwill-deliver more of it, but never less. v

' As to the large counter, whichacts like a pump, or like ablowing-engine, it can deliver at each revolution a volume of airequalto its capacity, but never more; and, should any leakage or otherdefect occur, it will deliver a lesser volume, of course, and perhapsnot deliver any atall. I

Since, therefore, in consequence of this arrangement, which consists insending the lighting-gas alone under pressure, and using the mechanicalwork produced thereby to exhaust and compress the air and convey it, sothat it can be mixed with the issuing gas, the

proportion of the lighting-gas, in case of any defect in the apparatus,or of any leakage, can but increase, and

that of the atmospheric air can but diminish, thus will be further andfurther removed the possibility of having a detonating mixture,

The burners may, indeed, thnwork badly, but this will be no danger, andmerelya repairable derangement.

I would statethat the manometric pressure of about three inches ofwater, is most convenient for burning a mixture of one of lighting-gasand two of atmospheric air, and the gas, before mixing, should have apressure theoretically threefold, say of eight inches, and, practically,a pressure forcibly superior, tocompensat'e for V .friction.

With such pressures, which are to still increasewhen the mixture is tobe conveyed to great distances, ninth.-

webbed dry counters, the effect being produced by the up and downmotions of the piston.

This pump will set in motion an ordinary blowingengine, the capacity ofthe pump-barrel in the gasengine and blowing-engine being predetermined,so as to efl'ect the mixture in proper proportion.

Such an arrangement would require tight pistons, and stuffing-boxes withlittle friction, which it is rather difficult to obtain, chiefly in caseof a machine so liable to be neglected. p

But the same end may be attained by using, instead of thestuffing-boxes, which allow the passage of the.

piston-axes, water-joints, like those in use at gas-works, for valves,substituting water for mercury.

There might be substituted for the piston, both for the gas-machine andfor the blowing-machine, an iron gas-meter, plunging into a channelfilled with mercury, the gas or the atmospheric air coming insuccessively from above and from beneath.

01', again, for each chamber, or barrel, there may be substituted twocylindrical vats, A and B, fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, saidvat-s being connected by flanges provided with a flexible skin, uponwhich would be fitted a metallic disk, mn, acting as a piston. Thecentre of this disk will carry a rod, traversing upward a stnfling-box,as hereinheibre described.

The following is a further arrangement, whereby the ..stlifling- -boxesare altogether avoided.

The apparatusrepresented in vertical section, (fig. 2,) in horizontalsection, (fig. 3,) in end view, (fig. 4,) and in plan, (fig. 5,)consists of a cvlinder, a. a b b', with a central partition, m m;

This cylinder has two flanges, whereby it is connected to twocylindrical chests, a of e c and I) b ff.

Each chest haswithin it, soldered centrally thereto,

another cylindrical chest, 1., provided with flanges r r.

.On each side of the diaphragm m m is a movable cylindrical piece, 3 118' 11', joined to a sheet-iron circular disk, t t, which piece has twoflanges, a a andt t.

Leathers, suitably stamped and oiled, as for dry counters, connect theflanges a a and t t, and likewise the flanges r and u 'u', so as to formcompartments, entirely closed, G G A A.

The two movable pieces a u t t, fitted on each side of the diaphragm mn, carry each of them two arms az, one-end of which is attached upon theflange u a.

- Tnaversing afterward the cylinders a a e c b b ff.

through a longitudinal split, they are fixed by their other end oncopper tubes 2 y z 3 which are moving freely and longitudinally intorings 0 o", fixed on the bottoms of the cylindrical chests c e ff. Bythis means, the two chestsu a t t, on each side of the diaphragm m m,are connected at an unvariable distance, so that the motion imparted tothe one is transmitted to the other, and-vice verse. 7 p

This being once established, a slide-box, T, is fixed on the upper partof the chest a a b b;

The gas is admitted from the top, and can, according to the play of theoverlap, circulate either at right or at left, and enter either thecompartment G or the compartment G. The play of this slidewalve is thesame as for dry counters, so that, when the gas gets into thecompartment- G, at right, for instance, it issues at left 'from thechest G, to return to the slide-box T, and thence escape through thetube S.

The two compartments A A are intended to receive successively theatmospheric air, and drive it-back 'after- I ward, for its being mixed,to the lighting-gas issuing through the opening, 8.

To'this end, on the chest at a b b, externally, on each side of thediaphragm m m, are fitted two small cylindrical boxes 0 of, providedwith upper and lower leather clack-valves, both working upward.

, Atmospheric air gets in through the lower valve when the suction isproduced within one of the chests, and the air goes out through theupper valve when aback compression takes place, so as to encounter,through a tube, R, the gas issuing at S.

The mixture escapes out through 0,

It is needless to insist on th'emeans of producing the play of theslide-valve, which play is determined by two rods j j, attached to theflange u u, aiid traversing the cylinders'a a c l! b b ff. Theto-and-fro motion produced is utilized for working the slide-valvebymeans of known suitable machinery.

This explanation. will sufiice to make the apparatus understood.

When the gas is inducted at G, its pressure will puslrthe piece it t au, and consequently the other piece, placed opposite to the diaphragm mm, since the two pieces are connected invariably by means of the tubes:2 y and z y, when the air. contained in the capacity A is driven backin like manner as the lightinggas introduced precedent] y into thecapacity G, and, the suction being effected in the capacity A, theatmospheric air gets therein.

At the end of the stroke, the lap of the slide-valve is shifted, and aninverted motion is produced, and so forth.

The capacities of the chambers A and G are determined from theproportions of the mixture.

The necessity of burning at a water-pressure from as work of two and-two-flfth to two and four-fifth inches, requires sending the gas at ahigher water-pressure, eight inches, which would necessitate the use ofa small motor for compressing the gas, which may consist of a' pump.Now, the pump which compresses'the gas must not, in case the consumptionshould stop, for example, go beyond a certain degree of pressure whichmight endanger the apparatus, nor must a vacuum inadvert ently be made,in case, for instance, the supply of gas should fail. g

For that, I propose the use of the following apparatus, as representedin vertical section, fig. 6, andin plan, fig. 7.

This apparatus consists of two cylindrical chests, A and D, being incommunication, and covered with an oiled leather film, or web.

The chest A, or the larger one, receives the gas previo'usto itsentering the compression-pump P. The web supports a metallic disk,turning round an axis, 'm a, and carrying a book which involves thehorizontal rod to b. When a failing of pressure is produced,

4 in consequence of an insnfliciency of gas, at the coming in thereofthe disk'will be lowered, and carry along therewith the rod a b.

This rod in b traverses a horizontal piec, forming its axis as y, andcarries on its other end a balance-weight,

' P, which, by means of the rod t, exerts a pressure on the valve s,placed within the chest 1). This valve overlaps the end of a conduitleading into the chest D, which conduit receives thegas on its issuingfrom the force-pump, and communicates with the mixing-apparatus. Shouldthe pressure grow too strong, it will evidently raise the balance-weightP, and then the gas will pass into the chest D, thence to the chest A,and return back again to the pump, thereby neutralizing its action onthe mixing-apparatus. If thereshould be insufficiency of gas coming orinducted, the valve still will be opened, inconsequerice of the metallicdisk of chest A getting lowered. No more gas will then be compressed,nor will there be any inducted.

By means of this apparatus, there would be a. certainty to never producea vacuum, in case the gas should not come in, nor to send an excessivepressure, in case that the consumption should not utilize the wholeamount of gas conveyed.

I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent-- 1. Thecombination, with the sectional cylinder, havin'g the air-chambers A andA, of the apparatus forming the gas-chambers G G, and valve-mechanism'1, or its equivalent, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the same, of the vessels 2:

and 0, substantially as and for the puitpose deseribed.

3. The combination, with a-pump, or other equivalent means of supplyingthe chambers G and G, of the regulating-apparatus, represented in figs-6and 7, substantially as and for the purpose described.

ROBERT DHUROOWRT, (EDOUARD ARMAND.)

Witnesses A. GUION, LAVIALLE.

